Youth minister asks: Would Jesus use Twitter?

Stepdaughter Maszie Granz, age 6, looks up at Michael Rome, right, while a moment of prayer ends during children's church at St. Peter's Church. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

From the left, Michael Rome gets a hug from members Jeff Miller and Susie Shank just before worship Sunday at St Peter's Church in Springfield Township. ( YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

Michael Rome knows he needs to use every tool at his disposal to get the youth in his charge at St. Peter's Church to focus on Christ.

Luckily for Rome, 32, he has plenty of life experience to do just that. Born and raised in Palmyra as a Catholic, Rome undertook a faith journey that led him to Word of Life Bible Institute in upstate New York.

At 18 years old, Rome met a counselor there who changed his life. Like many youth of that age, he planned to take a year and travel the world. The counselor suggested the year would be better spent studying the Bible.

"God worked it out for me that it seemed like a good idea," Rome recalled. "It ended up being two years."

He didn't know it at the time, but the relationship would lead Rome to his calling as a youth pastor. He has filled that role for the past five months at St. Peter's in Springfield Township.

"I love the impact that I get to have," said Rome, who is married with two toddlers. "So until I'm too old to relate to youth, I'm going to stick with it."

At the moment, Rome is relating the teachings of Christ to the teenagers in a social media format. They are engaged in a series he calls "#Jesus."

"Each week, we study a saying of Jesus, but I post it like a Facebook status update or newsfeed," Rome said. "It is a series that has gotten the most question marks from the adults and the most participation from the youth."

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Rome got the idea from a class at Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, where he is halfway through a Master of Divinity program.

"We were discussing whether or not Jesus would use Twitter," he said. "The general feeling was he probably would have."

About 25 to 30 teenagers participate in the St. Peter's youth ministry. One of the first things Rome did was expand the youth services from twice a month to every Sunday. Then he split the teens into three groups based on their ages.

Rev. Michael Rome appeals to the congregation of St. Peter's Church for volunteers to help with the youth. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

The Rev. Tom Beck is happy with what he sees so far.

"He has a real passion to see youth and children know and serve the Lord," Beck said. "I think that's his greatest asset and attribute -- a heart that loves all of God's people, especially youth and children."

Rome, who has 12 years' experience in the Air Force and Army National Guard and is a chaplain candidate, knows he must balance teaching Christ's principles with lighter topics.

"If it's not a good product, I'm not going to get the teens to come in," he said. "While they're having fun, we take that time to teach them about Jesus."

In other religion news around the region:

Church history compiled: A new book outlines the 250-year history of St. Paul's (Wolf's) Union Church -- which split into St. Paul's Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) and Saint Paul Lutheran Church in 1962.

The book details the 199-year union of the two churches; the congregants' origins back to their homelands in Germany; and the history of each church.

At 200 pages, the book includes 308 photographs of the union's German Reformed and Lutheran history, said author Kim Martin, who grew up in the Lutheran church, and now attends the ECC.

The church historian, John Wolfe; a Lutheran researcher, Barbara Eisenhart; and the late Charles Glatfelter all "played an important part in our research," Martin said.

The simple task of updating the most recent history quickly became an expansive investigation once answers to questions led to more and more questions.

"History never seemed too interesting, but it's different when it's the ground you walk on," Martin said.

Copies are available for purchase by calling 717-792-0731, or contacting the author at kemartin1@comcast.net.

German choir visiting: The Trail Church of the Nazarene, Shrewsbury Township, and the Maryland Line United Methodist Church are combining efforts to host a choir from Germany.

The concert will be 7 p.m. March 27 at the Trail Church of the Nazarene, 16535 Susquehanna Trail South. The German Gospel choir named Ephata belongs to the United Methodist Church congregation in Friedrichsdorf, which is near Frankfurt.

The choir consists of "about 50 members," said Karen Vatral of Trail Church.

Choir members range in age from 10 to 60 years old and are led by Sebastian Hammann, 33, and Benedikt Baum, 28.

"Their musical talents, motivation and skills are striving the choir forward," Vatral said. "The choir keeps on growing and attracts people from the outside community who often also become members of the Methodist church in Friedrichsdorf."

The repertoire is modern Christian worship songs in German and English. Most songs will be accompanied by a piano player. The concert is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken.

Pastor retiring: After serving as pastor of Salem United Church of Christ, Jacobus, for 32 years, the Rev. Fred A. Walthour will retire on Easter Sunday, March 31.

The church council met last Sunday and voted Kevin Becker as its new pastor.

At 10:15 a.m. Sunday, there will be a ceremony recognizing Walthour's departure, followed by a reception. Before coming to Jacobus in 1980, Walthour was pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ outside Pittsburgh.

His wife, Carol, died Aug. 16, 2007. He has a daughter, Heidi Wildasin, and a son-in-law, David, of Mount Wolf; a son, Brian, of Philadelphia; and three grandchildren, Hannah, Nicholas and Emily Wildasin.

Walthour turns 70 March 28.

A graduate of Spring Grove Area High School, Becker is the director of admissions at the Brunswick at Longstown. He is in his fourth year of the UCC Licensed Minister Program.

Becker does the youth ministry, visitation and some preaching at Salem UCC. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three children.